There's a area in Florida that constructed a twelve-foot-significant monument in the course of city to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one have to do that?
Properly, to start with, heroes take time and effort to search out with this dedicate Florida - the Panhandle metropolis of Wausau, property of fewer than five hundred folks all through Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an unlikely hero to state the minimum? Nobody else places the possum within the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, very last 1982, Wausau got tired of staying disregarded Together with the Florida lists of enjoyment, fairs and festivals. Every put set up Florida wants a Pageant. And never a single place in position Florida includes a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you haven't attended Washington County, you probably will Consider I'm building this up. When you've got frequented Washington County, you can expect to understand - and know It is just a true story.
Wausau, it proved, had some pretty impressive possum politicians within the early '80s. Here's two items they completed:
They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the quite 1st Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led to the setting up Using the monument alongside State Highway seventy seven in Wausau.
They even obtained The usa Congress in advertising and marketing the possum. Congress joined the entertaining by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might have a place to hold its annual Fun Day and Possum Festival. That includes a queen contest and possum auction, among the other things, the festival draws in 1000s of individuals on a yearly basis, and in order that they adore it.
Day out for just a couple of educating of Northerners listed here. The South's possum is definitely the identical lowly animal you contact opossum, (Why use 7 letters when six will complete?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and displays its hideous body only during the night time. That is why, when you find yourself In the appropriate commit Florida, you'll be able to listen to possum hunters' canine baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it really is not so complicated to entice (or shoot) 1.
An inscription across the monument in the middle of Wausau cites the possum's job in offering 'both fur and meals' all over the centuries. It goes on to say: 'Their existence in this article has delivered an origin of nutritious and flavorful food stuff click here in typical instances and has been A vital help to human survival a great deal more distress and important require.'
Laugh in case you'd like. The individuals of Wausau will laugh along with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.